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Author visits with CHS students
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Neighbors | Abby Slanker.David Giffels, author of "The Hard Way on Purpose: Essays and Dispatches from the Rust Belt," signed his book for Canfield High School students on Sept. 11.
By ABBY SLANKER
David Giffels, author of The Hard Way on Purpose: Essays and Dispatches from the Rust Belt, visited Canfield High School for a meet and greet with students on Sept. 11.
An assistant professor of English at University of Akron, Giffels teaches creative nonfiction in the Northeast Ohio Master of Fine Arts Program. He was also a longtime columnist for the Akron Beacon Journal and a contributing commentator and essayist on National Public Radio station WKSU.
The Canfield High School Honor English and AP students in grades nine through 12 read his book over the summer as part of their summer reading program and recently took a field trip to downtown Youngstown.
“The students took a field trip to downtown Youngstown to draw parallels between Giffels’ stories about life in Akron and the stories that define Youngstown. Essays, videos and Instagram will be used to cover the following topics: beautify Youngstown, embracing ruin, and identity and obligation,” said Chris Jennings, English and Journalism teacher.
Jennings mentioned stories from the book were also used in other classes and all students were invited to meet Giffels.
Giffels spoke about his experiences and his professional journey and then took a wide variety of questions from the students and parents in attendance.
Jennings said he felt very lucky to be able to offer a meet and greet with Giffels.
“I found the book at a bookstore and after reading it, I thought it would be great to be able to get him to come meet the students. I emailed him and he responded the same day saying he would love to do it and was very willing and excited to visit us,” Jennings said.
The Hard Way on Purpose: Essays and Dispatches from the Rust Belt is a compilation of Giffels’ stories about his life growing up in the Rust Belt.
“The book gives the students a sense of where they come from and they can play a part to make this area better. His essays are about his life and his experiences growing up in Akron. They are the stories of his life in the Rust Belt and how much he appreciates it and that there are things to embrace here. It’s not a bad place, it’s a good place - a real place - and many people are working hard to make it great again,” Jennings said.
Jennings did mention the younger students may have a different perspective of our area.
“It wasn’t a stretch to connect Giffels’ essays to things we know and see here, but the younger students may not have knowledge of how Youngstown used to be. There are good things in Youngstown, and to have someone like Giffels, who is not from Youngstown, say how great it is, is a good thing,” Jennings said.
After the question and answer session, Giffels took the time to sign books and talk to the students one-on-one.